Mysterious disease claims 17 lives in J&K: How it spreads and who are most affected

A mysterious disease has claimed 17 lives in Jammu and Kashmir's Badhaal village so far. As of now the exact cause of the death has not been found.

Since December 2024, a total of 38 people have been affected by the disease.

A high-level inter-ministerial team Sunday reached Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district where a mysterious illness is wreaking havoc, killing another person on Sunday and taking the death toll to 17. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Saturday ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team to ascertain the causes of deaths that took place within weeks in three families linked to each other in the remote Badhaal village, news agency PTI reported on Sunday.

The mountain village is 55 km from the town.

The patients complained of fever, pain, nausea and loss of consciousness before dying within days of their admission to hospitals.

"J&K health department and other departments probed the deaths but the exact cause has not be found yet. The Home Minister has constituted a team of inter-ministerial experts and they have reached here," Lt Governor Manoj Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Cause of the mysterious disease could be neurotoxins

In a press conference, Dr A.S. Bhatia, principal of Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri told the media that all the deceased individuals shared a common medical condition, brain swelling, or edema. Dr Bhatia said the neurotoxins found in samples analysed by premier laboratories of the country resulted in brain damage.

It must be mentioned that samples collected from the village have been analysed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Institute of Virology, Pune and other laboratories. Test results did not show any virus or bacteria thereby ruling out any communicable disease. Tests, however, proved that toxins were found in the samples analysed.

What are neurotoxins?

Neurotoxins are toxic substances that disrupt the normal function of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. These substances can interfere with the transmission of nerve signals, leading to a range of effects from mild discomfort to severe neurological damage or death. They target neurons, the cells responsible for processing and transmitting information in the nervous system.

These toxins can be naturally occurring or synthetic. Natural sources include venoms from snakes, spiders, and scorpions, as well as toxins produced by bacteria (like botulinum toxin), algae, and certain plants. Synthetic neurotoxins include pesticides, industrial chemicals, and some drugs. Exposure to neurotoxins can occur through ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, or injection.

The effects of neurotoxins vary depending on the substance, dose, and duration of exposure. Symptoms may include muscle weakness, paralysis, confusion, seizures, and in severe cases, respiratory failure.